Diabetes mellitus has been found to increase the risk of developing colon cancer by 38% with male diabetics having a 20% greater chance of developing rectal cancer.
The researchers of the study, published today in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, are unsure as to what is the cause of the link between diabetes and the increased cancer risk. It has been suggested that as diabetics have high insulin levels and high levels of growth factors these may help cancer cells to grow and spread to other parts of the body although as yet, there is no proof for this.
Doctors screening for colorectal cancer are advised to highlight the risk in obese patients and those who smoke but diabetes may now have to be included. The study took into account these risk factors as well as levels of physical activity. This study appears to support previous research that diabetes patients who are regular smokers have the highest risk of developing colon cancer.
